Murder charge after body found in car in Northland

A 49-year-old man has been charged with murder after a man's body was found in a car in the Far North town of Kawakawa.

Emergency services were called to a car park on Station Rd near the Caltex petrol station just before 8am on Sunday.

Detective Inspector Rhys Johnston said a post-mortem and formal identification were yet to be carried out, but the man was the victim of a violent assault.

Police are searching a property in the seaside settlement of Te Tii, and have released a photo of a Black Ford Falcon - registration number BYM765 - that visited the Caltex Station in Kawakawa at 7.15am.

They are asking for anyone who saw or spoke with its occupants on Sunday morning to come forward.

The accused will appear in the Kaikohe District Court on Monday.